While soup is surely a warming winter comfort food, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a hearty bowl in the spring and summer months too. When it comes to #notsaddesklunches, make-and-take meals like reheatable soups are a go-to option, and this week’s Most Popular Pin of the Week from Ree Drummond is no exception. Laced with cream and finished with fresh, fragrant herbs, this big-batch soup will surely fill you up. Plus, since Ree opts for cans of tomatoes instead of off-the-vine beauties, you don’t have to wait until tomato season to make her simple recipe.

Get excited, because your love for soup no longer has to be put away with your winter jacket and scarf. Just because it’s getting warmer outside doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a comforting bowl of avocado soup or a ginger-carrot creation. In fact, these soups were made for sunnier times. Just like as chili warms you up while it’s snowing outside, there are chilled concoctions that can cool you down and nutrient-rich spring veggie versions that can boost your energy. Either way, soup lovers, rejoice!

Chilled Avocado Soup (pictured above)
Move on over, guacamole — there’s a new avocado dish in town. Marcela Valladolid’s Chilled Avocado Soup, served cold , is a beautiful dinner option for the warmer months. With a bit of spice from serrano chiles and fresh flavor from the avocado and lemon juice, it would be a surefire hit at any spring get-together.

While winter’s chill may have (almost, finally) left us, that doesn’t mean you can’t still cozy up to a hearty bowl of soup — especially on a Meatless Monday. Since the basis of most soups is simply plenty of fresh vegetables and a stock (likely vegetable), these warming bowls are a go-to option for vegetarians, and leftovers reheat easily for take-to-work lunches and fuss-free dinners. Sure, some soups require the time and TLC that only slow simmering can provide, but many do not, including Food Network Magazine’s Minestrone with Gnocchi (pictured above), which can be on the table in just 40 minutes.

The secret to this quick-fix recipe is starting with a package of prepared gnocchi; these store-bought beauties are welcome timesavers in the kitchen, and when paired with the tomato-studded broth, they provide the welcome heft you crave in a soup. Each bowl is topped with a sprinkle of nutty Parmesan cheese before serving, but if you happen to have a Parmesan rind on hand, add it to the soup along with the fresh rosemary as it cooks — the rind will slowly break down and melt, flavoring the broth with its salty, cheesy taste.

No need to order takeout when it’s easier — and cheaper — to make your own. Thinking Thai? Try my take on Curry Mee. Translation? Asian comfort food in a bowl. My recipe for coconut chicken noodle soup spiced with curry will soothe your Thai cravings — and you’ll have dinner ready in less time than it takes to wait for the doorbell to ring. Mexican sound good tonight? My spicy chipotle shrimp with arroz verde is so good you may never dream of ordering in again.

Whether you’re looking to use up the last of the vegetables in the refrigerator, to make a single recipe that will feed your whole family or simply to cozy up to warming comfort food, soup is one of the ultimate go-to meals that surely fills the bill every time. When you’re craving something especially creative, dig into Food Network Magazine’s Chickpea Soup with Spiced Pita Chips (pictured above).

Ready to eat in only 40 minutes, this fuss-free soup features fresh carrots and celery, a can of tomatoes, plus chickpeas for heft, and pinches of cumin and coriander for over-the-top taste. Once you’ve prepared the base of the soup, let it simmer for a few minutes so the flavors have a chance to marry, and before serving, finish with a splash of bright lemon juice. For extra texture, dress up the soup with golden pita chips, which promise welcome crunch.

A go-to chicken soup is a must-have in everyone’s recipe repertoire, and while classic renditions deliver timeless comfort, this week’s Most Popular Pin of the Week promises over-the-top flavor and texture – all in just 30 minutes. The piping-hot bowl pictured above from Food Network Magazine boasts a smooth consistency and subtly creamy taste, thanks to a single can of coconut milk, plus thin rice noodles, tender sliced chicken and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for added brightness.

I write you from the comfort of my bathrobe, snuggled up under a thick comforter. Next to me is my daughter Valentine, whose throaty cough shakes the bed and my laptop about twice a minute. Yes, it’s cold and flu season. The other girls are off ice-skating with their cousins, but Valentine and I are homebound, sucking on homeopathic little pastilles every 15 minutes, trying to head off the virus that seems to have hit us overnight.

What I’m craving, appropriately, is a broth-y chicken soup, and so is Valentine. I read in a journal somewhere (or was it my grandmother who told me this? Details are fuzzy when I’m under the weather) that there is actual evidence to support broth-based soups as a treatment for the common cold. Good enough for me.

Hearty, warming and simple to prepare, soup may be the ultimate answer to year-end gatherings; after all, just one batch can feed a crowd, and most recipes come together in a hurry. This week’s Most Popular Pin of the Week is no exception, as The Pioneer Woman’s satisfying tomato soup boasts the full, rich flavor of diced tomatoes, rich cream and fragrant basil, and, perhaps best of all, the soup can be on the table in only 40 minutes. Follow Ree Drummond’s lead and add a bit of sugar to the tomato soup as it simmers — this will help balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

If you’ve ever gotten home on a particularly draining Monday and wished dinner would just cook itself, then this recipe for Slow-Cooker Bean and Barley Soup is just for you. After all, what better way to celebrate Meatless Monday than with a recipe that’ll hit the spot and save you some precious time?

This no-hassle meal can be prepped in merely 15 minutes, with minor work involving some chopping and squeezing. Once that’s done, you put the sorted-out ingredients together in the slow cooker before work, and by the time you’re home about eight hours later — voila! Your dinner is nearly done. All you have left to do is add in the cheese, stir in the spinach, season and serve.

Last week FN Dish revealed that The Kitchen is preparing for its first-ever episode dedicated to one of fall’s favorite comfort foods — soup — and we asked for help in learning how you make and enjoy soup at home. (Click here to vote on last week’s questions.) This week The Kitchen wants to know more about your personal tastes when it comes to filling up on a warm bowl of soup. Read on below to cast your vote in the polls, and be sure to look out for The Kitchen’s upcoming soup show.